Aporkalypse strongholds

Defenses for the Dark Days: Know Your Safe Havens

You may be out doing creative building now, but one day soon you will hear the unmistakable hiss of a creeper behind you, or see the jangly clanking form of a skeleton coming your way. The Dark Days will soon be upon us, and you must be ready. If you have not yet fortified your own area, the following are your safe havens. Your path to safety lies in your ability to reach one of these areas while traveling during daylight hours. Ensure that you know the best path ahead of time. You may have little to no warning before the worst is upon us.

Second Continent: Dover Castle

-- Those of you on Second Continent, your safe haven is Dover Castle.

Creator: johnstein

Maintainers: johnstein, greynaab, jerbear

Location: lat 0.50011, lon 0.47538

Description: On Earth, mighty Dover Castle was constructed in SE England at the nearest crossing of the English Channel. However, on the Aporkalypse, the 1:1 replica of Dover Castle is situated on the NE coast of the Second Continent. Complete with a 400 meter wall encircling a 35 meter-cubed Keep, Dover offers the premier in 12th century stone architectural style and comfort, and not least of all, impervious defenses!

Strengths: When the Dark Days begin, Dover's 10 meter high, double-thick perimeter walls will shield its inhabitants from the malignant hordes. In the improbable event of a breach, Dover Keep, with its 5 meter thick exterior, dominating height, and barrage of arrow slits, will serve as a formidable bastion of refuge. Be your enemies medieval France, Nazi Germany, or the savage Undead, Dover Castle offers stalwart defense for all its allies!

Weaknesses: Because Dover Castle was designed in an era bereft of flight, it cannot offer strong protection versus aerial foes. Rogue Ghasts who stray from the Nether will prove to be a spirited challenge, but the lack of flammable edifices shall allow the Doverites an inevitable victory!

Porkton Continent: Porkton

-- Those of you on Porkton Continent, your safe haven is Porkton.

Creator: arcolz

Maintainers: arcolz, general community / property owners

Location: lat 0.51099, lon 0.45975

Description: Porkton is a community building project in the form of a city. While the community works together to build and improve infrastructure such as roads and town walls, individual players can claim sections of the town for their own creations.

Strengths: Porkton is incredibly well fortified with thick walls and a moat the encircles the entire city. The interior is heavily built up and well-lit to prevent enemy spawns. There are extensive community crafting and storage facilities, as well as access to mob and plant farms. It is the oldest and most populated community project on the entire server and features not only a fire department but a self-defense force (and baker's union) in the form of the Porkton Dragoons. If the town ever needed to be evacuated, there is subterranean access to outside land and ocean via P.A.B.S.T.

Weaknesses: When the Dark Days arrive, Porkton's main challenge will be adequately fortifying the gates while still allowing access and egress to citizens. While allowing mining and tree farming on individual plots, Porkton does not yet have dedicated community areas for these activities.

Western Areas: New Hamsterdam

-- Those of you in the Western Areas, your safe haven is New Hamsterdam.

Creator: Jawn (minecraft user: InsaneJawn)

Maintainers: Jawn, beardlace, general community / property owners

Location: lat 0.51374, lon 0.51673

Description: New Hamsterdam is a collaborative city building project. While Porkton allows users to build anything they want on their plots, the goal of New Hamsterdam is to have more of a true city vibe with zoned neighborhoods and height restrictions in areas.

Strengths: It is easy to get to from Spawn (providing Carpal Tunnel is working). It is intended to be brightly lit and have strong walls to keep out mobs. There will be wheat and tree farms in the city so all of one's basic needs can be met there without traveling outside the walls. From this relative security there one can travel to the relative security of Porkton along the relatively secure Carpal Tunnel. Restrictions on block types allowed mean the chance of catasrophic fire is limited.

Weaknesses:There is no tree farm yet. Boats aren't currently working so it's difficult to reach. The best way to solve these problems is with more immigration to the city. Jawn's goal as acting mayor is to get the majority of the plots built on, the library, post office, and city hall in place, and site the wheat, reed, and tree farms.

Frontier Continent: The Stronghold

-- Those of you on Frontier Continent, your safe haven is The Stronghold.

Creator: mistersc

Maintainer: mistersc

Location: lat 0.48747, lon 0.43924

Description: The Stronghold at the Land that Light Forgot was originally designed to be a mob drop item collection factory. Situated in the perpetual darkness provided by the ~30,000 blocks of the Big Dumb Project looming overhead, it will have a high spawn rate for hostile mobs both day and night. Since fortunate has favored its creator and ample time has passed between its conception and the upcoming Dark Days, it has turned into a full survivalist bunker.

Strengths: The walls of the Stronghold are high enough to repel enemy attacks, and the entirety of the perimeter is designed with a moat ready to drown skeletons, creepers, and zombies and harvest their drops. Tens of stacks of arrows lay waiting for the remaining spiders. There is a 400-block wheat field, and four double chests stand full of pork. A journey to the top of the BDP gives a massive field for planting of trees (even with the ability to use fire to clear the leaves without fear of igniting anything else).

Weaknesses: Though the provisions are more than ample for one or even a dozen individuals over a long period, the area itself is limited. Close quarters make for potential cabin fever situations. There is very little room to expand within the facility. Most importantly, the Stronghold is shrouded in total darkness for many blocks beyond its perimeter, making every journey outside a hazardous one regardless of time of day.

Others

-- Those of you on Spawn Continent and in The Southern Areas, you have no official safe haven. You have been forewarned. Please take adequate precautions for your safety.

Know your roads and boat paths! We don't want to lose any Aporkalyptians during the upcoming Dark Days.